Pocket flash light

ABSTRACT

A pocket flash light having a movable casing, a cover glass forming a part thereof and a bulb. Two part receiving means including a socket, one part secured to the casing so as to secure the bulb base, while the other part forms a collar to engage the head of the bulb and is second to the cover.

Unite States Patent Napierski et al.

151 3,692,999 51 Sept. 19, 1972 POCKET FLASH LIGHT Inventors: Reinhard Napierski, Oberursel; Claus Christian Cobarg, Steinbach,

both of Germany Assignee: A.G. Braun, Frankfurt am Main,

Germany Filed: Dec. 10, 1970 Appl. No.: 96,764

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 19, 1969 Luxembourg ..6( ),055

US. Cl ..240/10.65 Int. Cl ..F2ll 7/00 Field of Search...240/l0.65, 10.66, 10.68, 10.61

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,275,819 9/1966 Laurent ..240/10.65 3,065,337 11/1962 Torgerson ..240/ 10.65 2,963,573 12/1960 Ziegenbein ..240/ 10.65

Primary Examiner-S. Clement Swisher Att0rney-Emest F. Marmorek [5 7] ABSTRACT A pocket flash light having a movable casing, a cover glass fonning a part thereof and a bulb. Two part receiving means including a socket, one part secured to the casing so as to secure the bulb base, while the other part forms a collar to engage the head of the bulb and is second to the cover.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures POCKET FLASH LIGHT Reference is had to our co-pending application, Ser. No. 8,l6l,flled on Jan. 14,1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates-to a pocket flash light having a casing with a cover or closure member which can be removed from the casing to display the cover glass as well as to move to and from a closed position. The flash light is furthermore equipped with a light bulb receptacle having connecting contacts.

As a rule, the receptacle for the light bulb is designed in the form of a mounting, into which the bulb can later be screwed or deposited. In other words, the hitherto known bulb receptacles are made in one part and inasmuch as the mountings are designed in such a manner they not only hold the bulb in position, but actually tightly retain it there and thus guarantee the connection between light bulb and the electrical connecting contacts.

These conventional mountings are expensive and require the use of bulbs having either screw-in threads or other arresting devices which are accurately proportioned to the interior of the mounting in question.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide for a pocket flash light which is not subject to the drawbacks of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a simple and less problematic connection between the light bulb and the power source.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide for a pocket flash light which is simple and positive in operation.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide for a pocket flash light which constitutes relatively few parts and is inexpensive to make and use.

The foregoing is achieved, broadly by a light bulb receptacle or receiving means designed in a bipartite manner wherein one part thereof including a socket is disposed on the casing. The other part serves as an outer support or collar for the bulb head and forms part of the cover.

A spring element is provided which presses the bulb against the other part or collar. A lateral holding means on the one part prevents the bulb from lateral movement when the cover has been removed.

From the foregoing it is readily apparent that when the cover has been removed, the bulb receptacle or receiving means designed in accordance with the present invention holds the bulb in position. In other words, the receptacle neither tightly connects the bulb with the electrical contacts nor does'it retain the bulb by mechanical means. The connection of the bulb with the contacts and the mechanical retention of the bulb in position can only be achieved when the cover is put on and the bulb is thereby pressed against the bottom contact.

In order to accomplish the foregoing design the receptacle broadly speaking must display the following.

A receiving area in the casing segment which is preferably designed as a socket for the bulb; this is made possible, by a foot-contact and a side-contact disposed close to one another. The bulb sits on top of the one contact, whereas the other contact lies laterally against the other pole of the bulb. Near the socket a lateral holding or retaining member is provided which prevents tipping of the bulb; the retaining member must not, however, tightly surround the bulb and must not press it against the foot-contact. The retaining member can be made of a non-conducting material and, preferably, can be unicast in one operation with the casing; for example, molded together therewith.

The socket may form a substantially closed tube open to receive the base of the bulb; it may have an opening forming a passage for the spring.

The loose retention of the bulb has the great advantage that the retaining member is able to readily receive any type of bulbs; such as those with or without threads, with a smooth foot or with indentations or notches of different types. In order to avoid the use of an additional spring it is only necessary that the footcontact member preferably be formed as a spring and that the lateral contact member display a spring travel stroke of such magnitude that a sufficient contact is maintained between said two contact-members and any bulb of usual dimensions (diameter and length) when the cover is closed or the cap is on. In any case, the retaining member is designed in such a manner that bulbs may be used which have lengths and diameters deviating from one another, but only within narrow limits.

Near the cover or cap, only a contact area for the light bulb is provided which when the cover is on presses the bulb from the head thereof downward against the foot-contact-member.

It is especially advantageous if an outer supporting or abutment member which is located on the cover forms a part of the cover glass and is designed and arranged in such a manner that it centers the light bulb at the time when the cover is on. This can be achieved by means of projecting members or the like, such as three-point contact members, but also by means of a cylindrical collar. Preferably, this centering member is made as an integral part of the cover glass.

The present invention is well suited for any type of pocket flash light, such as those where the bulb receptacle which forms an integral part with the casing can be arranged so that the distance between the foot-com tact member of the bulb and the cover (or the outer supporting abutment) form an integral part of the cover and are not much greater than the length of cur-. rent bulbs. The present invention is, however, especially well suited for pocket flash lights having a flat shape.

The present invention is furthermore especially well suited for pocket flash lights having a simple cover glass and a bulb, the head of which itself forms a lens. The foregoing is especially advantageous where it is desired that the bulb be centered in the casing with respect to the cover.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, cerment of parts which will be exemplified in a construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through a pocket flash light showing a superimposed cover and inserted light bulb;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a receiving socket of the casing; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the outer supporting member of the cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In carrying the invention into effect in one of the embodiments which has been selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and for description in this specification, there is shown a section of a pocket flash light having a casing 1, which displays at least one holding member operable to receive two batteries 7 and 70 and furthermore a lateral retaining-member 11 to receive a light bulb 2. In a manner similar to a discus, the casing 1 displays a flat curvature and may be formed of one piece together with the holding member 10 and lateral receiving member 11, preferably of a plastic or synthetic resin. Thus, the lateral receiving member 11 which can be in the form of a cylindrical collar need not consist of an electrically conductive material but should have thereon lateral openings 110 and 111 through which contacts 3 and 30 can project into the interior thereof. There is provided a foot-contact member 3 and a lateral contact member 30 which are preferably pre-tensioned in such a manner that (within a certain margin of safety) they will come to lie against the light bulb 2 at a distance varying within certain limits of length and diameter.

As can be seen from the drawing, in a preferred embodiment the lateral receiving member 1 l is wider than the external diameter of a socket or mounting provided for the bulb 2, so that the mounting 20 will stand loosely in said lateral receiving member 11. Furthermore, it is readily apparent that the lateral receiving member 11 (which forms an integral part with the casing) neither functions as nor does it accommodate means to hold the bulb 2.

The footcontact member 3 and the lateral contact member form resilient means and may be in the form of a spring. In a preferred embodiment both contact members 3 and 30 lie with one of their extremities against the light bulb socket 20 while the other extremity lies against the power source such as a batter (not shown) and a switch 6, respectively.

There is provided a cover 4 operative to move between an open and closed position and consisting of a frame and preferably made of a non-transparent material and furthermore consisting of a transparent part 41. The transparent part 41 may consist of a silicate glass or a transparent plastic or synthetic resin. The transparent part 41 in the center thereof has an inwardly directed c'ollar 410, which corresponds in size approximately to the upper portion of the bulb head 21 and against which the bulb 2 (which had been loosely set in the casing) lies when the cover 4 engages the easing 1 in the closed position. Individual projections or collars 410 which are directed inward fulfill the same purpose and are arranged in such manner in the center of the transparent part 41, that when the cover 4 is placed in position the bulb 2 is optically centered. The foregoing is operative to form the aforesaid other part of the two part receiving means.

If a reflector 5 is used which is separate from the flash light cover 4 while being connected either to the cover 4 or inserted into the same, the lateral receiving member 11 will not be needed. The reason therefor is that under these conditions the opening 50 of the reflector 5 is operative to retain the bulb 2 in such a manner that it cannot tip over prior to placing the cover 4 in its proper position. The foregoing design is advantageous for use with lights having a longitudinal shape, for example lights in which more place is available for the reflector 5 than is available in flat pocket flash lights.

We wish it to be understood that we do not desired to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A pocket flash light, for use in connection with a bulb having a base and a head, said flash light including a casing having a bottom portion and a removable cover including a cover glass, and a light reflector operatively arranged within said casing spaced apart from said cover glass,

comprising, in combination,

bulb receiving means secured to said bottom portion of said casing and being adapted to receive the base of said bulb,

said cover glass being adapted to be in contact with said bulb head, whereby said bulb will be adapted to be held in a fixed position between said cover glass and said bulb receiving means. 2. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient means is a spring.

3. A flash light, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said spring is pretensioned and forms an electric contact and is adapted to accommodate bulbs of different lengths.

4. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector defines a central aperture having a diameter which is larger than the width of said bulb.

5. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector is secured to said cover.

6. A flash light according to claim 1 wherein said light reflector has a central aperture adapted for receiving said bulb, said bulb receiving means being located opposite thecenter of said cover glass, said aperture being adapted to match a portion of said bulb, thereby optically centering said reflector with respect to said cover glass when the'bulb is held in said bulb receiving means.

7. A flash light according to claim 2, wherein said bulb receiving means is in the form of a socket having at least one aperture for the penetration into the socket of said spring.

8. A flash light as claimed in claim 1, said cover glass including a collar adapted to engage said head of said bulb.

9. A flash light, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said closed position.

10. A flash light according to claim 1 further including resilient means disposed within said bulb receiving means and being adapted to engage said base of the collar is integral with said cover is adapted to align opti- 5 bulb urging it against Said Cover g 

1. A pocket flash light, for use in connection with a bulb having a base and a head, said flash light including a casing having a bottom portion and a removable cover including a cover Glass, and a light reflector operatively arranged within said casing spaced apart from said cover glass, comprising, in combination, bulb receiving means secured to said bottom portion of said casing and being adapted to receive the base of said bulb, said cover glass being adapted to be in contact with said bulb head, whereby said bulb will be adapted to be held in a fixed position between said cover glass and said bulb receiving means.
 2. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilient means is a spring.
 3. A flash light, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said spring is pretensioned and forms an electric contact and is adapted to accommodate bulbs of different lengths.
 4. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector defines a central aperture having a diameter which is larger than the width of said bulb.
 5. A flash light, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector is secured to said cover.
 6. A flash light according to claim 1 wherein said light reflector has a central aperture adapted for receiving said bulb, said bulb receiving means being located opposite the center of said cover glass, said aperture being adapted to match a portion of said bulb, thereby optically centering said reflector with respect to said cover glass when the bulb is held in said bulb receiving means.
 7. A flash light according to claim 2, wherein said bulb receiving means is in the form of a socket having at least one aperture for the penetration into the socket of said spring.
 8. A flash light as claimed in claim 1, said cover glass including a collar adapted to engage said head of said bulb.
 9. A flash light, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said collar is integral with said cover is adapted to align optically said bulb in said cover when said cover is the closed position.
 10. A flash light according to claim 1 further including resilient means disposed within said bulb receiving means and being adapted to engage said base of the bulb urging it against said cover glass. 